This ancient place symbolizes for me how important it is to honor the past, know those who came long before us, exhibit craftsmanship, and build for the long haul. I have sought to do all this since 2005. While speaking out of very Progressive political leanings, I still maintain a deep love of the Constitution.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Conventional blogging -- (8/22/08) A New York Times headline* (in the Fashion and Style section) reads: "The Year of the Political Blogger Has Arrived." Many bloggers raised money for the trip to Denver on their websites. But getting credentials has been a big challenge for less well known, less well-off political blogs, such as Pam’s House Blend and Phillip Anderson's the Albany Project. But both of them managed somehow to do so because of generous readers. Others with more clout, such as Matt Stoller of Open Left, fared better.

There are two kinds of blog credentials, says the NYT. "The first is a national credential, which offers the same access granted to members of traditional news media organizations. The second, more coveted credential is the state blogger credential. It allows one blogger per state to cover the convention alongside its state delegation, with unlimited floor access." Or they can hang out at The Big Tent. To quote further:

This year, both parties understand the need to have greater numbers of bloggers attend. While many Americans may watch only prime-time television broadcasts of the convention speeches, party officials also recognize the ability of bloggers to deliver minute-by-minute coverage of each day’s events to a niche online audience.

. . . But some bloggers see the procurement of credentials as less of a privilege and more of a right, in recognition of their grass-roots influence.

. . . One perk that bloggers will have access to in Denver is the Big Tent, an 8,000-square-foot two-story structure adjacent to where the convention is being held. For a $100 entrance fee, 400 credentialed bloggers will be allowed to enter the air-conditioned space, hosted by a coalition of progressive blogs and organizations and sponsored by the Web sites Google and Digg, where they can eat meals and find work spaces with Wi-Fi.

. . . Among the devoted readers who believe Mr. Odum deserves their donations is Nate Freeman, one of two Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor of Vermont. Mr. Freeman, 40, gave about $100 to Mr. Odum’s laptop fund, and said he would contribute $50 for Mr. Odum’s convention trip. "Barack doesn’t need my 50 bucks, Mr. Freeman said, but John does."

Texas Politics reported that a "San Antonio lawmaker has a prime convention spot. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio, a co-chair of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, said she just found out she'll be chairing the gathering on Wednesday." But the entire Texas delegation did not fare as well. They got snubbed in the general seating. "When it comes to seating at the Democratic convention, Texas is no Idaho," according to Trail Blazer's blog at the Dallas Morning News. Perhaps it will help that Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas was to have been the speaker at the Texas delegation's breakfast meeting today, according to DemConWatch.

My blog friend Fayrouz In Dallas wants us to know this. Her path is "The Pursuit of Happiness." She has become a U.S. citizen. Congratulations, Fay!

From WE/WeCanSolveIt.org., an 8/4/o8 e-mail from Cathy Zoi also decried the huge Exxon profits. She said:

Last week, Exxon Mobil announced record profits -- at the same time that the rest of us were paying record high prices at the gas pump. It doesn't need to be this way. Our energy prices don't need to be this high. If we repower America and generate 100% of our electricity from clean sources within ten years, we can bring our energy costs down.

Texas has always had a reputation for gutsy women. We will see some of them at the Democratic National Convention this week. And we will also read about it from some good progressive women bloggers who will give us more of the scoop on what is actually happening. I'll get back to them as the week progresses.

"Polygon" by Carol Gee

Living Green

Constitutional Focus:

The USA has a guiding document that has informed our finest hours for over 200 hundred years. The Constitution enshrines certain rights and liberties that have made us who we are. The Bill of Rights includes free speech, privacy, voting rights and habeas corpus, among others.

These rights and liberties have been eroding since the turn of the century. South by Southwest is my small effort to inform. As advocates, we fight for the full restoration of the Constitution,with all its inherent rights, as our guiding document.

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The Magic of "paper.li"

If you are active on the social web site, Twitter, skimming the news will be your mode of operation. You will see the most recent 140-character posts from all those you follow. But it is not as if you are reading a newspaper.
This is where the auto-generating platform “paper.li” comes in. Tweeps are able to “publish” daily news pages featuring whatever subjects are of interest to them. I am able to add or delete news items, move them around on the page, and add my own Editor’s note whenever I wish.
My four daily news pages include:
Speaking Up -- A platform for my favorite important voices.

Many of us admire activists who stand up and speak out for what is right. I follow good people in Congress, prominent civil libertarians, popular bloggers, and effective journalists and writers. They speak up here.
I edit this material most every day. By moving items, deleting ones that are not pertinent and adding my own, it reflects my take on activism.
This "newspaper" is an auto- compilation from three of my Twitter lists:
Civil Libs - ActivistsBloggers and BlogsOfficials – Government

This is an edited auto-publication.

As the curator of my Twitter lists, from which these news items come, I take care that all the articles and headlines are those that are most significant, timely, unusual, or interesting to me.
It is one of the ways I quickly "keep up with the day."
My lists of contributors to this paper (whom I follow) include:Media DarlingsReporters and WritersNewspapers and Magazines.

Space, technology, the environment and science impact our lives daily.This news source focuses on the Earth and its neighborhoods.
Good causes working to save the earth and its creatures are spotlighted.
I follow astronauts, NASA, science and technology news-makers, etc.
Their posts are presented here every day.
Enjoy! And then do your own part . . .